


Is It Truly Just A Game?

by KazBrekker



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 13:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5092448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazBrekker/pseuds/KazBrekker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aelin and her friends play spin the bottle, but things get more heated than anyone expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rowan crossed his arms over his chest. “ I’m telling you for the last time, this is stupid.” 

Aelin feigned a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the gods. Hearing ‘this is stupid’ over and over for the past ten minutes has gotten rather old.” Aelin elbowed her boyfriend in the side, rolling her eyes. She strode forward, knowing he’d follow her. He always did. 

“But why do we have to play such a... _vulgar_ game?” Rowan asked, catching up to Aelin. She spun around and faced him. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve never done this before?” Aelin said, shaking the ancient, dusty bottle of wine her friends had sent her to unearth from the cellar. They were at Dorian’s house, an old mansion built who-knows-when, and Rowan had demanded he went with her down into the house’s bowels. Nehemia and Lysandra had shot each other knowing looks at this demand, but Aelin had remained completely stoic. Yes, perhaps Aelin and Rowan dawdled a little too long in the cellar, but, well, they were here now, weren’t they? 

“Of course not. I’m a highly respectable-” he started, but Aelin waved a hand to cut him off. 

“Let’s just get on with it. It’s fun. I’ve done it countless times,” Aelin said, glancing at Rowan. His eyes were alight with something Aelin couldn’t name. Frustration? Anger? Who could really say? “Jealous, eyas?” She knew that nickname-meaning baby hawk-would set him off, but before he could say anything, she announced loudly, “I got it!” Her friends’ heads swiveled toward her, smiles etched on their faces. _See_ , Aelin wanted to tell Rowan, _everyone else is already having fun. Why can’t you lighten up?_ But she said nothing; if Rowan wanted to have fun, he’d have to find his way there on his own. No one could convince him to but himself. 

“I wouldn’t drink that if I were you,” Aelin’s cousin Aedion drawled, brushing a lock of his sun-yellow hair behind his ear. 

Dorian shuddered. “If my father didn’t drink that yet, then it’s not safe for consumption.” Aelin wrinkled her nose at the mention of Dorian’s father. He was a complete asshole, and he didn’t try to hide it. _I guess you can admire someone for that. They don’t beat around the bush with who they are._ “Dump it into the sink.” 

Aelin wandered over to the kitchen, which was next to the sitting room, where everyone was gathered. Aelin flicked her gaze toward her friends. Aedion was laying down on his stomach, head resting on his outstretched arms, reminding Aelin of Fleetfoot. Her dog was forever flopping on the ground whenever she wanted, typically on Rowan’s feet, much to his dismay. Dorian was leaning back against Chaol’s chair, his arm just barely touching her ex-boyfriend’s leg. Lysandra noticed Aelin glancing at that less-than-a-touch, and shot her an amused grin. Lysandra was always trying to get them to get together, but so far her efforts had failed. 

“They have a lot of history together. Maybe something will just click someday, yeah?” Lysandra had told Aelin once, who had shrugged in response. In all honesty, them being together would be strange to see. But if that’s what made them happy, then who was she to complain? They were her friends, and she wanted them to be happy than anything. 

Manon was sitting rigidly straight on an ottoman, arms crossed over her chest. Elide kept poking her in the side, trying to get her to snap out of her mood. Manon was glowering hard, but it kept wavering every few seconds, so it was only a matter of time before she broke. They were another couple Lysandra was trying to create, and Aelin helped her. At least they were getting more progress with Manon and Elide than Chaol and Dorian. Just last week Elide and Manon had gone out for coffee. Not a date, of course, but hey-it was something. 

And Rowan...Rowan was being Rowan. He was leaning against a wall, his expression nearly matching Manon’s. They were similar, those two. Aelin would never want to see them break out into a fight, because she had no idea who would win. And what would be destroyed in the process. 

Aelin uncorked the bottle and tipped it upside down, watching the contents pour down the drain. Gods, it smelled awful. How old _was_ this wine? She turned on the sink with her free hand, trying to make the smell of gone-bad alcohol dissipate. “Tell me again, why does your father have so much alcohol in this house if he’s never here?” Aelin asked, raising her voice a bit to be heard over the faucet. 

Dorian shrugged. “It’s one of life’s greatest mysteries, I suppose.” He spoke differently than the rest of them as a result of his schooling overseas when he was a boy, and he never dropped the accent after moving back home to attend high school and, eventually, college. It made him seem more sophisticated, but really, it made him self conscious. He always hated sounding smarter than everyone else, but no one minded. _But Dorian_ , Aelin teased one day, _just because you sound smart doesn’t mean you actually are._ He only scowled at her and went back to reading. 

When the last of the was wine gone, Aelin rinsed out the bottle and dried it off. Rowan pushed off from the wall as Aelin joined them in the sitting room. Aelin saw him swallow slowly. “So...how do you play this...game?” Rowan asked, his voice straining a bit at _game_. Aelin smirked at him. Lysandra sat on the floor and clapped her hands together, and everyone looked at her. 

“Everyone sits in a circle,” Lysandra began, and Manon came to rapt attention in addition to Rowan. _I guess she hasn’t played this either_ , Aelin thought, _though it’s no surprise, considering her upbringing_. Aelin felt sick just thinking about Manon’s grandmother. “Aelin will place the bottle in the center of the circle, and we each take turns spinning it.” Lysandra gestured to Aelin, and she sat down across from Lysandra. The others sat down as well, glancing each other nervously. Aelin wanted to laugh at them. It was just a game, come on! It wasn’t like they were doing...other things. She waggled her eyebrows at Rowan, whose scowl only deepened. He sat down beside her, and she purposely didn’t tell him that if he sat next to her, there’d be no chance of them kissing. “Now that we’re all here, would you be so kind as to put down the bottle, Aelin?” Lysandra asked, and Aelin obliged her. “Someone will spin the bottle, and the person at the top of the bottle will have to kiss the person the end of the bottle is pointing to. And I'm not talking about a kiss on the cheek or anywhere else. I mean a real, direct, full-on-the-lips kiss.”Aelin and Lysandra grinned wickedly at each other. 

This was going to be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never kissed anyone before (single 5ever-literally all my kissing knowledge comes from all the YA books I've read) so if I suck at writing chemistry and kissing you'll know why lmao 
> 
> [also I'm really busy with school so I'm sorry I haven't updated lately and that this chapter is so short]

“Who wants to spin first?” Aelin asked, trying to get things going.

“It should be Rowan, because he’s thinks this game is beneath him,” Dorian said, and Elide snorted. Aelin’s other cousin was shy, the opposite of Aedion, but once the ice was broken, Elide had a good time. Plus, she was oddly adept at this game.

“No, I think someone else-” Rowan began, clearly flustered. Aelin was enjoying herself immensely, and they hadn't even begun to play yet.

“Rowan! Rowan! Rowan!” Everyone began to chant, making Rowan even more flustered. Rowan glanced at Aelin, who smiled sweetly at him.

“What they want, they get,” Aelin said, and Rowan sighed, accepting his fate.

“Fine,” He grumbled and reached into the center of the circle. He spun the bottle, sending it flying so fast it took longer than usual to stop. Everyone leaned forward, eager to see who it pointed to.

Lysandra and Dorian. Aelin cheered, followed by Chaol and Aedion. Dorian looked a bit dejected-ever since his girlfriend Sorscha moved away to the other side of the country, he never really started dating again, much less kiss anyone. But Lysandra was an amazing kisser-not that Aelin would know-so maybe she could make him finally get over Sorscha and return to his old flirtatious self.

Dorian placed his hands on the ground and leaned forward toward Lysandra, who barely hesitated before hooking an arm around his neck and pulling him closer. Their mouths met, and with it, shouts and clapping sounded. They broke apart, Dorian turning a bit pink, and Lysandra smugly smiling. Lysandra had kissed so many boys-and girls-in her life that she remained looking exactly as she had before. Oh, no, she was just getting started. By the end of the night, she’d have them all smoked.

“Okay, Dorian should spin it next,” Aelin announced.

“All right,” Dorian said, now back to his normal shade. He reached forward and spun the bottle, not nearly as forcefully as Rowan did, but it spun away from the center of the circle and closer to Aedion.

The bottle stopped, pointing to-

Rowan and Aedion.

Aelin threw her head up and cackled. _Oh, this was priceless_ , Aelin thought.Next to her, Lysandra was biting her tongue to keep from laughing, but it wasn’t helping very much. And Aedion...Aedion just kept on grinning like someone had told a stupid joke.

Rowan was quiet, his eyes narrowing on Aelin's cousin. He took in a breath. Pretend this is the same situation as with Piras, Rowan thought. He'd once had to save one of his friends from drowning, and when he hadn't started breathing again, Rowan had to resuscitate him. He'd learned the skill from Boy Scouts-and if he had to be honest, he never thought he'd have to use it.

Aedion had come out as bisexual several months before; kissing boys was nothing new for him. He did feel a bit odd kissing his cousin's boyfriend, though-but this was only a game, and Aelin didn't look mad in the slightest. Before Rowan could prepare himself, Aedion knelt down by Rowan and grabbed him by the shoulders. Aedion pressed his lips to Rowan's, and they stayed there for several seconds before Rowan pulled himself back. He sat back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Everyone roared in laughter.

"Wait, wait," Dorian said, a wicked grin on his face. "I want to add something. I know this isn't really a game, but... Whoever ends the kiss first should lose, and the person who doesn't break away gets a point. I'll keep track of them, and everyone has to take the winner out for drinks."

Aelin grinned back at her friend, and then shot a look at Lysandra. She looked equally pleased. "I think that's a good idea, O Noble King Dorian." Ever since Dorian had won prom king both junior and senior years, his friends loved to tease him about it. But honestly, they were impressed. If he'd been a real monarch, they all would have sworn loyalty to him in a heartbeat.

"Everyone in favor of the new rule, say aye!" Dorian shouted.

"Aye! Aye!" Everyone-save for Rowan and Manon-shouted back. Aelin shot her boyfriend a look, and he reluctantly joined in with the rest of them. Aelin rolled her eyes-this was one of the reasons she had the idea for spin the bottle. Her boyfriend wasn't used to party antics, and she wanted to introduce him to them. Rowan's parents had left him at an orphanage several days after he'd been born, but his situation soon changed. Rowan had been taken in by some high government official as a charity project, and had been sent to a prestigious, uptight boarding school since he'd been adopted. He wasn't familiar with acting like a carefree young person, and Aelin was determined to help him.

Lysandra clapped her hands together. "All right, everyone. Those previous two kisses are now deemed moot. Now the _real_ fun begins."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get intense + more backstory!! Sorry I've taken so long to write a new chapter! I've had a crazy time in the eight months since the last chapter, including, but not limited to, going to Italy for a month, getting my heart broken for the first time, and learning to drive. Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations! (I had a lot of fun with this chapter, I listened to a bunch of 80s music while writing it)
> 
> Also! Follow me on tumblr @gansey-havilliard

Aedion spun the bottle, and Aelin sat back, looking around the circle of her friends.

She’d known her cousins her whole life, obviously, and they were all pretty close, bonding together when they had a stupid family event to go to and wanted to avoid the stuffy old people. She and Nehemia and Lysandra had all gone to the same boarding school from grades 1 to 8, and from there they transferred to St. Elena’s, which despite the name, was a boys’ and girls’ high school.

That’s where they met Dorian and Chaol, and, of course, Rowan. They had all been on the fencing team, Chaol being the captain, so they were already acquainted with one another by the time the girls transferred. Aelin had been intrigued when she saw Chaol and Dorian practicing one day, and a little while after that, she and Dorian had started dating. After sophomore year they’d mutually broken up, and thankfully stayed tight as friends.

Manon was captain of the women’s rugby team from Ferian International, a school that had a very diverse student body, and with Aelin being the caption of St. Elena’s, they had a friendly rivalry going. After seeing her at games and camps all the time, she’d asked her to come hang out, and they’d struck up a friendship...as long as they weren’t on the same playing field. That had happened a few time after they became friends, resulting in many black eyes and bloody noses. Thankfully, they were able to remain friendly, and they were even able to get their teams to hang out a few times as well, going out to parties and such.

That’s when Elide and Manon had met, and Aelin had picked up immediately that Elide was smitten. She wasn’t too sure about Manon, but she liked to believe the feeling was mutual. But since Elide was so shy and Manon was so uptight, it was pretty hard to know if they would ever get together.

Loud shouting and clapping brought Aelin back to the present. She cast her gaze toward the now stationary bottle, and she grinned. Chaol and Nehemia. Aelin looked back and forth between them in anticipation, wondering which one would give in first. They were both single of late, so they could probably kiss for quite some time before either of them stopped. The doorbell rang before right before their lips met, and they both jumped back a bit.

“Keep it up, guys,” Aelin said, standing up. “I’ll get it.”

"If it's Asterin, don't open the door. I'm still pissed as hell at her that she didn't break that girl's nose," Manon said to Aelin, and she wasn't sure if Manon was serious or not. They were recently at their last high school nationals for rugby, so that's what Manon was referencing. Neither of their teams won, but it was a lot of fun, and the parties hosted every night after each game were exciting to go to. Aelin and Manon had been scouted by several universities as well, so even though they didn't win it was still good for their careers, if they chose to pursue rugby in college. 

"Manon, if you remember, the time was up," Aedion pointed out. Manon crossed her arms over her chest, a feigned scowl on her face. At least Aelin thought it was feigned; with Manon you could never tell. "Plus, she would have been carded." The good cousin he was, Aedion went to every game that Aelin and her team were in, and even went to some of Manon's games. Shaking her head in amusement, Aelin walked toward the foyer, leaving the scene of merriment behind her, when Dorian caught up to her side. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“What? This is my house. It’d be weird if some random girl answered the door and my father was there," Dorian told her.

Aelin rolled her eyes. “I’m not some random girl. Your father knows very well who I am."

“And do you really think he’d be pleased that you’re in his house?” Dorian shot back. Aelin had to hand it to him, he did have a point. Dorian’s father had never liked Aelin, neither of his parents did, thinking that she was some wild child bent on a path of self-destruction. She wouldn’t deny that she could be pretty wild at times, but it wasn’t like she did drugs or drank a ridiculous amount. That was one of the reasons why she felt that she and Dorian didn’t fit; her parents loved Dorian, never minded when he would come for dinner or stop by to pick her up, but his parents never seemed to like her, always calling her the wrong name and tossing thinly-veiled insults at her.

They reached the door, and Aelin stood to the side while Dorian opened it. Aelin had a good idea of who was standing there, and her guess proved to be right. It was Nesryn and Asterin, who Aelin had also invited to this get together, which was supposed to be at Aelin’s house, but her parents had cancelled whatever plans they had and decided to stay home instead.

“Hey there,” Aelin said, pulling Dorian away from the door. “Come on in.” Dorian shot her a look as Nesryn and Asterin entered the foyer.

"This is still my house, if you forgot in the ten seconds since I reminded you," Dorian told her, and Aelin just smiled sweetly at him.

"Sorry we didn't bring anything to eat," Asterin told them, spreading her hands wide. She and Nesryn had roomed together at a rugby camp a few years ago, and had been thick as thieves ever since. Nesryn was pretty quiet, like Elide, but she had a quick, deadpan humor that usually had them all in stitches at the end of the night whenever she came to their little parties.

"Don't worry about it," Dorian told them, "Plus, there's some rumors going around that we're going to Mort's after this."

"Are there now?" Asterin raised an eyebrow, smiling at Aelin, knowing that she was the instigator of these rumors. Asterin, Lysandra, and Aelin were definitely the wildest girls in their group, and they always get into the deepest shit when they were together. But Aelin had never regretted anything she’d done with her friends; no, her friends were her life.

“Let’s get back to the party,” Aelin said, waving her hand in the direction of the living room. “Or whatever this is.”

The newcomers followed Dorian and Aelin down the hall, where Chaol and Nehemia had just broken apart. “And Chaol wins that round!” Aedion shouted, marking something down on Dorian’s notebook, which Dorian was to keep track of the winners. Manon immediately brightened up when she saw her best friend; she must have been joking about not letting Asterin in.

Everyone got settled down; Aelin and Dorian returned to their seats, and Asterin went to sit by Manon, Nesryn by Elide. Chaol placed his hand on the bottle and spun it, the light overhead catching on the glass. Aelin bit her lip, excited to see who it landed on.

Dorian and Aelin.

Her friends all cheered and made other rowdy noises, but Aelin was only paying attention to Rowan. He was visibly upset.  _Maybe we shouldn't have played this game... Don’t be stupid. You’re just having fun. You’re not hurting anyone, and if Rowan is upset because just Dorian’s your ex, then he can fuck off._ Maybe she wasn’t thinking straight, maybe the fumes from that ancient wine were getting to her head, but whatever. It wasn’t like Aelin was making out with Dorian secretly; this was a game that all her friends were playing, in the open, and for the most part, it was pretty innocent.

But Aelin would have been lying if she said she wasn’t nervous. Her boyfriend was quite protective of her, and her even being near other guys beside her cousin made him on edge. She thought his nature was kind of cute when they were first dating, but now it just annoyed her. Yes, Aelin had a flirtatious nature, like Aedion, but she would never cheat on anyone. If Aelin was romantically interested in anyone besides her boyfriend, she’d end the relationship immediately. She wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt because of her.

Not wanting to hold this off any longer, Aelin leaned forward, her lips meeting Dorian’s. They were unbelievably soft, and Aelin was instantly reminded of a time when she could kiss these lips whenever she wanted. Against her will, a wave of emotions washed over her, and she grabbed Dorian’s collar, pressing her lips harder on his lips. Snippets of memories hit her again and again, and everything in the room faded away.

Except for Dorian.

Dorian was the person Aelin lost her virginity to, but it wasn’t like it really mattered to her. Dorian’s parents were the type to care about a girl’s virginity, but Aelin’s parents were kind of laid back and only wanted Aelin to be happy. Not that they didn’t care about Aelin or neglected her, it was just that they didn’t want to be too controlling or overprotective. Both sets of grandparents could be pretty overbearing at times, hounding Aelin about college and jobs and all sorts of other topics that Aelin would rather not get into a discussion of. Aelin assumed that her parents didn’t want to be like their parents, so they made sure not to intrude into Aelin’s life.

Not remembering exactly where she was, she licked Dorian’s lower lip, sending him jumping back. _Shit shit shit shit shit. SHIT_. Thankfully, no one really noticed Aelin’s slip-up, and so the usual cheering and other fanfare enveloped them in the seconds after they broke apart. But they just sat there, looking at each other, wondering just what exactly had happened.

Aelin was wrong.

This was a terrible idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing about each of the characters, I hope I did their stories justice. It made sense to make Aelin and Manon athletic, and I needed to fit in Manon's Thirteen somehow, so yeah. Still never been kissed, so if my chemistry/descriptions are off, please tell me!! Always wanting to improve my writing :D (also I know some of you might be mad that Chaol and Aelin were never together in this au, but I want to give Chaol a different story.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even when things couldn't get more intense, they decide to anyway. ;) 
> 
> Can you believe it's been almost one year since I first started writing this fic? Don't worry, I'm planning something special for the occasion...but in the meanwhile, have this chapter!
> 
> Notes at the bottom.

          Half an hour later, and Aelin had seen Dorian and Aedion kiss, as well as Nehemia and Asterin, Chaol and Aedion, Rowan and Nesryn, had even kissed Nesryn herself, but she still couldn’t look at Dorian in the eyes. She couldn’t be sure if he was looking at her, but every so often she’d feel shivers go down her spine, could feel his gaze was upon her. But she wouldn’t,  _ couldn’t _ , look back at him. 

          Aelin wouldn’t admit this to anyone, but it took her over half a year to get over Dorian. Looking back, she realized they were young and foolish and silly, but they’d shared something real, something true. And if they’d dated longer...who knew what might have happened. She’d hid her feelings well after they ended the relationship, flirting and hooking up with countless other boys. But she had felt horrible for a long time, and only after she met Rowan did she put Dorian behind her.

         Until now, apparently. 

         “Aelin?” Rowan said softly, one eyebrow raised. “Are you all right?” 

          Aelin shook her head and smiled, returning to the present. “I’m great,” She lied, her head still swirling with thoughts of the past. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to clamp down on such treacherous thoughts. Her eyes landed on the bottle, spinning and spinning just like her mind, as it came to a stop. 

          Manon and Elide. Immediately Aelin’s gaze snapped up to Lysandra, hardly containing her glee. Lys looked ecstatic.

          Elide looked like she was going to throw up. She started tugging on her sleeves, a sign she was nervous, and gave Manon a weak smile. The severe beauty remained impassive, beckoning Elide closer. Aelin wasn’t even going to be part of the kiss and even she felt butterflies in her stomach; she’d wanted Manon and Elide to act on their feelings for a long time, and this was the perfect opportunity. 

          Elide slid closer to the rugby captain, her expression like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. As Aelin looked on, she noted that despite Manon’s impassiveness, she was nervous as well.  _ That _ was a first. Manon was never nervous about anything. 

          “Come on already!” Aedion yelled, and Aelin glared at him. He caught her gaze and shrugged.  _ They need help badly  _ he mouthed at her. Aelin snorted; she couldn’t argue with that.

          Surprisingly, Elide was the one to start the kiss, gathering up her courage and taking Manon’s face in her hands, bringing their mouths together. 

          Cheers erupted throughout the room; it seemed like  _ everyone _ was waiting for the girls to act on their feelings. Elide could be painfully introverted sometimes, so Manon’s straightforward and extroverted nature would be good for Aelin’s cousin. And Elide’s calming and serene personality would be the perfect remedy for Manon’s commanding and daring one. 

          Their shy kiss was turning into one that everyone shouldn’t be watching, and luckily Manon sensed this, breaking away from Elide. Almost instantly Aelin’s cousin scuttled backwards to her spot, refusing to look at Manon. Manon looked a bit stunned, slinking back to her spot as well. She brought a hand to her lips. 

         “Elide, you won that one, so you get to spin the bottle,” Dorian said, trying to break the awkwardness spreading through the room.

         “I, uh…” Elide started. “I have to use the bathroom.” And without saying anything else she got up and fled as if a ghost was chasing her. 

          Manon looked at her as she left, puzzled expression on her face.  _ I should go after her _ , she thought, and not caring what the others thought, got up and went after Elide. Her head was still spinning from the kiss, and her insides felt as if they were made of mush. She’d never felt this way before...never felt that Elide was any different from the other girls she’d hooked up with. Elide was sweet and caring and funny in her quiet way, and Manon…

          Manon was a complete goner. 

          Elide had run past the entrance hall and into the dining room; past that was a hallway and lots of closed doors that Manon wasn’t sure where they led to. A door slammed up ahead-that must be the bathroom. Manon leaned up against the wall and slowly let out a breath.  _ Why did she run away? I thought we had a nice time getting coffee that one time...perhaps she only meant it as friends? _

          She stayed still for a long while, waiting for Elide to come out, but mostly contemplating just what she was getting herself into. Finally, after it was clear Elide was simply hiding out from Manon, she gathered up every bit of courage she had and marched down the hall. Manon brought a fist up to the door, and knocked sharply three times.

          “Oh, sorry, I’ll be right out!” Elide squeaked, probably thinking someone needed to use the bathroom. Manon sucked in another breath; should she really do this? Should she try to make something work between them? If only Elide would open the door, then she would know what to do. 

 

          On the other side of the door, Elide’s heart was still beating furiously, though it had been several minutes since the kiss.  _ The  _ kiss. The kiss of her life. Sure, she’d kissed and been kissed before, but nothing like that,  _ never  _ like that. 

         And now she wasn’t sure what to do. Manon had broken away first; did that mean she didn’t like Elide? That she was a bad kisser?  _ I thought this game was supposed to be  _ fun _.This is the last time I trust my cousin to pick a party game.  _

         It was true that Manon and Elide had gone on a coffee “date” but was it really that? Was it truly a date, or did Manon only like Elide as a friend? Gods, this was so hard. This was why Elide had never dated in the past; she hated complications, but more importantly, she hated betrayals, and she didn’t know if she could ever get past her significant other finding someone else. Someone cooler, someone funnier, someone more wild than Elide, because she knew that eventually, everyone would leave her after they realized how dull she was. 

         But no more self-pity. People would wonder where she went. Gathering up her courage, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. 

_          Fuck.  _

         Of course it was Manon standing just outside the doorway. 

 

         Back in the living room, Dorian shrugged and clapped his hands together. “I guess I’ll spin this time,” He said, and sent the bottle spiraling away on the dark wood floor. 

         It came to a stop on Lysandra and Aedion. Aelin quickly ducked her head, trying to hide her smile. Lysandra would kill her if she started laughing; for a while now Aelin suspected her friend had a crush on her cousin. 

         “Oh shit, Aedion, I think you’re about to meet your match,” Chaol snickered, and Dorian laughed along with him. Lysandra would never give up, but neither would Aedion. This was going to be fun to watch. 

        “Bring it on, Lys,” Aelin’s cousin drawled, smirking. Lysandra said nothing, simply gave Aedion her most wicked grin possible before she pounced on him like a wild cat. 

        Aelin started the cheers this time, and it wasn’t long before everyone else joined in. Aelin knew it would last as long as possible, but they still had to breathe. 

        After a few moments,  Aedion drew Lysandra closer, bringing one hand to her face and digging the other in her long black tresses. Aedion was sitting, and Lysandra took advantage of that, sliding into his lap. Aelin smirked; her friend was trying to startle Aedion into breaking away. But unfortunately for Lysandra, that wasn’t going to work. 

        Lysandra seemed to realize that was the kiss went on longer, turning from just pressing lips together to fully fledged making out. 

        After what seemed an eternity, they both broke apart at the same time, desperately needing air. They both looked equally startled; Aelin assumed they had never met someone that could match their stride. And now they didn’t know what to do with that information. 

        Aelin was happy; besides her kiss with Dorian, it had been a fun evening. It was getting late, and they still had to go to Mort’s and get drinks. 

        The bottle was spun a few more times, so that in the end everyone got to kiss each other, excluding Manon and Elide. Aelin figured they had more important things to do.  “All right, listen up!” Dorian announced finally. “Last spin!” He nodded at Aelin, and she grinned at him, leaning forward and spinning the bottle for the last time. 

        As the bottle slowed to a stop and she saw who it landed on, Aelin swore that she would never play this gods-forsaken game ever again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so fun to write (they all are haha)! I was so disappointed that Manon and Elide didn't get together in eos, but I still have hope for the last book. I soothe my disappointment by writing their relationship in this fic, and I might even write a spin-off about them... Anyway, I know it's almost been a year of writing and I only have four chapters out, but I hope to write chapters more frequently now. This story definitely isn't over yet. 
> 
> Thanks for all the kind comments, and thanks for even reading this! I love you guys <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the game wraps up, things have heated way up - but it is too much?
> 
> Wow, one whole year since I first started writing this!!! Thanks for everyone who reads, gives kudos, comments, and bookmarks this! I love you all, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! <3

         Rowan and Dorian. 

         Rowan immediately balked at it and turned to Aelin, his expression dark. Dorian looked highly uncomfortable, swallowing visibly. Aelin glanced from Dorian and Rowan, thinking of what she should do. 

         Even though Rowan and Dorian were on the same fencing team, they disliked each other quite a lot. Rowan was an epee and Dorian was a sabre, so they didn’t have to spend too much time with each other at practice, but the times they did interact was tense and full of unsaid things. Aelin tried to make sure she was a buffer whenever they had to be together, but obviously since she wasn’t on the fencing team, she couldn’t help them all the time. 

         Dorian didn’t like Rowan because of his arrogant and aloof nature. Sure, Rowan was those things unless one really got to know him, but Dorian had no interest in doing so. Rowan disliked Dorian because…, well, Aelin wasn’t really sure. It had something to do with him being Aelin’s ex, and also because he was one of those “rich boys” who seemed to have nothing better to do than party. Or at least that’s what Rowan thought of him. 

          This couldn’t happen; it would be awkward and would probably make them hate each other even more, and Aelin didn’t want that to happen. She wanted them to be friends; she loved both of them, one platonically and one romantically, and she didn’t want to see any of her friends fighting with each other. She was fine if they fought on the piste, but not off of it. 

          Dorian edged his way into the circle, jaw clenched. Rowan narrowed his eyes at him, and Aelin was distinctly reminded of two lions circling each other before ripping each other apart. 

          Before anything else could happen, Aedion launched into action. “Shit, is it twelve already? Mort’s closes in two hours if we were still planning to go,” He announced, and thank the gods, everyone broke the game apart and stood up, excited to move on to the next phase in their little party.

          Aelin looked at her cousin, hoping she was conveying her absolute gratitude in her eyes. He smiled lightly at her and nodded.  _ I owe him big time _ , she thought, but then retracted that statement. They were family. Saving each other’s asses was what they did. 

          Aelin marched over to Rowan, who was still looking a bit miffed, and looped her arm through his elbow. “So, was the game truly vulgar, or was it fun like I said it would be?” 

          Rowan looked down at her as they made their way to the foyer. Thankfully, he smiled at her. “It was...more fun than I was expecting.” Aelin grinned in response. “But it was still vulgar.” Aelin snorted and bumped him with her shoulder.  _ Thank goodness he’s not upset.  _

          And then Aelin remembered that Manon and Elide were still missing. 

 

          While the game was still going on, Manon seriously thought she was dying. She’d never done anything this painful. Why was talking to girls so hard?

          “So…” Manon started, trying to smile at Elide, who was still in the bathroom, looking a bit sick. “Um. What’s your favorite position?”  _ Fuck. That sounded really suggestive.  _

          Thankfully, Elide either didn’t catch the meaning or just understood what Manon really meant. “Well, I’m a number eight. I haven’t done much else,” Elide replied, a bit more relaxed now that they were talking about something she was familiar with.

          Manon smiled. Of course, she already knew Elide was a number eight; she’d seen her play before, and they’d played games against each other on numerous occasions. Number eights had to be explosive, dynamic runners, and though Elide was shy and quiet outside the field, she was insane while she was on it. She was a very valuable player to St. Elena’s, as many games were won because of her. 

          “What’s yours?” Elide asked, stepping out of the bathroom and moving to lean against the hallway wall. Manon leaned against the opposite wall, trying to look at ease. She was failing. 

          “I’m a right wing,” Manon said, and Elide nodded. “I’m the team’s captain as well.” 

          “Yeah, I know.” Elide said, then immediately blushed.  _ She looks so cute _ , Manon thought, her stomach at her feet. “Um, we  _ have _ played together before.”   


          “Oh, yeah,” Manon replied, running her hand through her hair. Elide looked a bit dejected; she thought that Manon wasn’t paying attention to her. When in truth, that was the exact opposite; embarrassingly as it was, Manon’s team lost the last game against St. Elena’s because Manon had looked a little too long at Elide. Not that she would ever admit it. 

          “Everyone calls you the Wing Leader, right?” Elide asked, shifting from foot to foot.

          “Yeah, they do,” Manon said, stepping toward Elide. It was now or never. 

          “I guess we should get back to the game-” Elide started, looking startled at Manon’s approach. 

          “No!” Manon cut Elide off. “I...I really-”

          “Please,” Elide said, closing her eyes. “Please don’t say anything that isn’t true.”

          “Elide,” Manon said, moving closer to her. “Elide, look at me.” All awkwardness from the situation was gone. 

          Hesitantly, Elide opened her eyes. 

 

          Manon was looking at her, her eyes so full of emotion, Elide was surprised she didn’t just combust on the spot. “I really, really like you. I have for the past few months. And because I’m a total and utter idiot, I didn’t do anything about it because I figured there’s no way a nice girl like you would like the complete wreck that is me.” 

          Elide was speechless. How many times did she convince herself that there was no way a cool, well-respected girl like Manon would like such a dull, pathetic girl like she was? Elide couldn’t help it; she started laughing. Full out, doubled over belly laughing. 

          This couldn’t be real. Elide had been pining over Manon for more than a year, had been through so much pain when Manon showed interest in other girls, and now here Manon was, confessing her feelings to her. 

           “Are...are you all right?” Manon asked quietly. Instantly Elide straightened up, and without further ado, took Manon’s face in her hands and kissed her for the second time that night. 

 

          Aelin crept down the hallway, trying to be careful not to disturb anyone. She wasn’t sure what Manon and Elide were doing, probably nothing  _ too  _ bad, but still, she didn’t want to interrupt anything. “Um, everyone is leaving to go to Mort’s!” Aelin called, giving lots of time for Manon and Elide to compose themselves. 

          A few moments later Elide sheepishly slid out of the library and rushed past Aelin, not looking her cousin in the eye. Aelin smiled, then covered it up after Manon followed Elide shortly after. The icy captain glared at Aelin. “Don’t say a word,” She whispered, and was gone, retreating after Elide. 

          Now alone in the hallway, Aelin really did grin. Lysandra would be so pleased; they were successful matchmakers. Aelin turned around and headed back the way she came, checking over the living room to make sure they’d cleaned up everything. Dorian was in the kitchen, throwing away the wine bottle that had caused so many feelings, so much drama. She felt a sort of attachment to it. 

          “Oh, I didn’t realize anyone was still here,” Aelin said, trying not to startle him. Dorian whipped around, then smiled when he saw her. 

          “Just making sure there’s no evidence of our crimes,” Dorian stated, dusting his hands off and coming into the living room. 

          Aelin wasn’t sure what made her say it. “Our crimes?” She raised an eyebrow. 

          Dorian cocked his head to the side. “Yes,” He said softly, looking her right in the eyes. Gods, she forgot how blue they were. How handsome he was. And then he straightened suddenly, eyes lifting to somewhere behind her. 

          “Aelin?” Rowan called, and Aelin turned around to see Rowan waiting for her in the foyer. 

          “Coming!” She chirped, and walked toward him, linking her arm through Rowan’s again. They walked through the open front door together, toward the massive driveway where all their cars were parked. 

          “What were you doing with Dorian?” Rowan asked as they climbed into his car, a white 68 Mustang. It wasn’t in the greatest condition; he’d gotten it pretty cheap, but he’d been working on it all summer. She loved the scent of it, all old leather and oil and grease. She’d spent so much time in it that it made her feel safe, made her feel like she was home. 

         “Just helping him clean up,” She said, which wasn’t exactly the truth, but wasn’t exactly a lie either. “His dad loves everything to be neat.” That was true, at least. 

         Rowan didn’t respond, just craned his neck as he backed out after Nehemia. Elide had ridden with her on the way there, as their houses were pretty close to each other, but Aelin supposed she’d gone with Manon. Aelin wanted to laugh; everyone knew Manon rode a motorcycle, and she couldn’t really picture her timid cousin riding on one. 

         “I hope you had fun tonight,” Aelin told him. “I know you sometimes don’t...approve of my friends.” 

          Rowan smiled at her. “It’s not that I don’t approve of them, I just don’t like some of the things they do.” 

_           Isn’t that the same as not approving them?  _ “Next time we can hang out with Lorcan and the rest of the guys if you want,” Aelin said, wanting to kick herself. She didn’t mind Rowan’s friends, but they could be really big dicks sometimes. 

         “Only if you want to,” Rowan responded, but she could tell he really wanted her to. She smiled at him, then turned on the radio, trying to find something she could sing to. 

 

         “Are you serious?” Lysandra exclaimed, turning the key in the ignition once again. It revved for a bit, then promptly died. Lysandra leaned back against the headrest and let out a string of curses.

         “I hope those weren’t directed at me,” Aedion said, and Lysandra remembered her window was rolled down. 

         “Ha,” Lysandra sighed. “No, they were directed at my shitty car. It always does this.” She’d gotten the car as a present from her uncle; it was an old Jaguar from the 80s or 90s, and it was rusty and constantly dying. 

         “That sucks,” Aedion told her, bracing his forearms on the open window. His very muscular forearms. “You can ride with me if you’d like, and I can take a look at it after we’re done at Mort’s.” 

         No. No, no, no, no. This wasn’t happening. This  _ couldn’t  _ be happening. A car ride alone with the guy she had a crush on, the guy she’d just kissed in front of everyone? She couldn’t do this. 

         “Oh, um, I can just have someone pick me up. I didn’t want to go to Mort’s that much anyway,” Lysandra told him,  feeling like the butterflies her stomach were starting a war.

         “You have to come,” Aedion said, “I’m pretty sure you won the game.” He looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling in the light from Dorian’s garage. 

          Lysandra let out another sigh. Everyone  _ would _ be wondering where she went, and in truth, she really did want to go to Mort’s. She wanted to dance. So gathering up every bit of courage she had, she nodded at Aedion. 

         “Fine, I’ll come,” She relented, and the smile Aedion gave her almost sent her swooning.

         Shit. Lysandra _never_ swooned. She _caused_ the swooning. 

         Aedion stepped back from her car and opened the door for her, then strode toward his car. Lysandra swallowed and followed him, clutching her purse tightly in her hands. 

         “Um, thanks for saving me,” Lysandra told Aedion, climbing into his Jeep and shutting the door. “I really appreciate it.”   


         “No problem,” Aedion said, backing out of Dorian’s driveway. “I’m actually surprised you consented to letting me help. No one is farther from a damsel in distress than you.”   


          Lysandra smiled at that. “Well, sometimes it’s nice to just let someone else save you. Less work on my part, anyway.”  

          Aedion laughed as they cruised through Dorian’s neighborhood, and then he turned on the radio. He started scrolling through the stations, and it was a few moments of static and snippets of music before he found his preferred station. 

          “You actually listen to this stuff?” Lysandra cried, incredulous. It was some 80s stations, full of synth and high-pitched guys singing. “Please, turn it off.” She reached for the radio and found a nice alternative station. 

          “You actually listen to _this_ stuff?” Aedion responded. “What’s her name again? Haley?”   
Lysandra rolled her eyes. “It’s _Halsey_. And this is much better than whatever shit you listen to.” 

          “You wound me,” Aedion said, grinning.  _ Gods, that smile.  _ It made her entire body weak. And that wasn’t a feeling Lysandra particularly liked. He grimaced at the radio, and then turned it back to whatever 80s station he liked. Some guy crooning about moving out. “You know you like it.”   
          “I do  _ not _ .” Lysandra couldn’t hide her grin. 

          “Don’t you dare change it again,” Aedion warned, “Or I’m stopping and dumping you out.” Lysandra reached out for the radio again, trying to annoy Aedion. But at that moment Aedion reached for the radio as well, and  _ fuck _ , Aedion’s hand was on hers. 

          Neither of them moved. 

          And the shitty 80s music was still playing. 

          “Sorry,” Aedion and Lysandra said at the same time, yanking back their hands. They didn’t look at each other. The seconds ticked by in silence. 

          After a full minute, Lysandra broke the silence. “What weapon do you use again?” She didn’t know much about fencing, just what Aelin had explained to her if they went to a tournament, but she did know that their were three types of swords. 

          “I’m an epee,” Aedion replied, “That’s the weapon most like real combat. The whole body is a target, whereas-”

          “Sabre and foil have limited targets,” Lysandra finished. Aedion looked a bit stunned. 

          “Exactly,” He said slowly. “You should come to a tournament some time. I bet you’d like it.” 

           Lysandra swallowed. “Are you asking me on date?” She cocked her head to the side, looking at him. 

           Aedion returned the look as they came to a red light. “Do you want it to be?” 

           Lysandra blushed against her will. “I would.”

           Aedion grinned. “I thought you’d never say that,” He said, and then placed a hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. 

 

           Dorian rested his forehead against the steering wheel, wanting to kick himself. He knew he shouldn’t have played that game, but it would have looked weird if he hadn’t. Just like it would look weird if he didn’t show up at Mort’s. 

           But, oh gods, he couldn’t face Aelin again. Not when he still...not while-

           He had to get out of here. He pulled out of his driveway, radio as loud as it could go, trying to drown out all his thoughts. 

           But Aelin’s face just after they’d pulled apart was still in his head. 

           He would be surprised if he got to Mort’s in one piece. 

 

          Elide had never been more scared in her life, excluding the time that six-foot tall German girl was chasing her across the field. She was pretty sure she was breaking Manon’s ribs, but she wouldn’t have let go for anything. 

          “Are you okay?” Manon shouted as they stopped at a red light. 

          Elide grinned as she replied, “Never better!” And then the light turned green, and they zipped off again. Elide’s stomach was left in the dust. 

          Even though Elide felt like she would die at any moment, she was still having one of the best nights of her life. Manon was a skilled rider, and Elide knew that if they crashed, it would be because of another person.  _ But how will I explain it to my parents, if we do crash? _ Elide had a tendency to worry.    


          Elide had come out to her parents a few years ago, and thankfully, they supported her. As their only child, they supported everything Elide did, which she was extremely grateful for. She knew not many parents were like that. 

          She knew Manon lived with her grandmother, a severe, arrogant woman who still looked young despite being over fifty. She’d seen her at rugby matches, and just those glimpses of her were enough to scare Elide out of her wits. She had to meet Manon’s grandmother if they did become a couple, but what if her grandmother didn’t like her?  

_           Stop freaking out. Breathe.  _ Elide sucked in a breath, and held onto Manon tighter.  _ Just focus on the present. You can think about the future as it happens.  _

          Elide didn’t know what made her do it, but she threw her head back and shouted into the night. She’d been waiting for this moment for so long; she was exactly where she wanted to be. 

          Well, not the motorcycle part, but that was a minor detail. 

 

           Aedion and Lysandra were barely an inch apart when a car behind them honked. The light had turned green. 

           Aedion let his hand drop and gunned the Jeep, causing them to surge forward. He wasn’t sure what to say; do they kiss at the next light? Or pretend they hadn’t almost kissed? Aedion was supposed to be a master at dating and kissing and all of that, yet here he was, as nervous as a fourteen year old getting asked out for the first time. 

           After the bottle had landed on him and Lysandra, he hadn’t been sure how to react. Aelin had been saying things along the lines that Lys had a crush on him for a few months, and even though he told himself that his cousin’s friend was off limits, he’d started to like her. Everyone knew of Lysandra’s reputation as a flirt and a partier, a reputation to match Aedion’s, and kissing her was supposed to be like a battle of who was stronger, he supposed. But he knew that for both of them, it had been different. And now he wasn’t sure what to do. 

           “Aelin isn’t very subtle, is she?” Aedion asked, and Lysandra raised an eyebrow. 

           “What do you mean?” Lys asked.  

           “She’s been dropping hints that you’ve liked me for... I don’t even know how long,” He told her, and she groaned.

           “I’m going to kill her,” She said softly, shaking her head. 

           “Nah, don’t do that. She was just trying to help,” Aedion responded, smiling at her. Lys rolled her eyes.

           “Aelin’s version of “helping” is vastly different than what is supposed to actually be helping,” Lys remarked, pulling her legs up under her, pushing the dark hair out of her eyes.  _ Gods, she’s so pretty.  _ He always fell for the pretty ones. Guys, girls, it didn’t matter.

           Aedion laughed at that; it was true. Aelin did try to help a lot, but most of the time she just made things worse. “Aelin only hinted at it, but then I noticed it too,” Aedion told his passenger softly.  _ It’s now or never. _ “And I was happy to notice it. I was flattered such a special person would like me. And if I’m being totally honest, I’ve had my eyes on you for a while; I don’t need to tell you how beautiful and funny you are.”

           Lysandra turned away and looked out the window; he’d probably embarrassed her. But then she said, “What do we do now?” Aedion closed his eyes as they slowed to a stop. 

           “It’s up to you. I don’t want to enter into something if we aren’t sure-” Lysandra cut him off. 

           “I’ve liked you for a long time, much longer than I usually like someone. I haven’t had a boyfriend in...I think it’s been two years. I want something different than my usual relationships.” She took a deep breath. “But only time will tell what that  _ something different  _ will be. I’ll go to a tournament with you, and we’ll see how it goes from there.”

           “Will you give me a token of luck if you come to watch?” Aedion asked, grinning at her. She slapped him on the arm. 

           “Don’t make light of the situation! I’m about to throw up,” She reprimanded him, but she could barely contain her laughter. “But yes, I’ll give you a token of luck. Actually, I’ll give you one right now.” 

            She leaned toward him, placing a cool hand on his cheek, and kissed him. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously am grateful for all the feedback and kudos you've all given me! I had no idea so many people would read this when I first started writing it. I've actually been thinking of making this highschool/college au a series or something, if anyone would be interested? Comment and tell me!! But of course, this fic isn't done yet; what will happen when they arrive at Mort's? Find out in the next chapter ;)


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